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Published: 14 March 2008

Inflation 3.7 per cent in February

The year-on-year change in consumer prices, i.e. inflation, calculated by Statistics Finland was 3.7 per cent in February. In January it was 3.8 per cent.

Consumer prices were pushed up most in the year by risen cost of housing: housing loan interest rates, prices of owner-occupied dwellings and real estate, as well as rents and the price of electricity went up. Increases in the prices of food, automotive fuels, restaurant and café services and retail prices of alcoholic beverages from the year before also had an impact on inflation. By contrast, the rise in consumer prices was curbed most in February by fallen prices of passenger cars, entertainment electronics and computers.

From January to February, consumer prices rose by 0.5 per cent, mainly because clothing sales were gradually ending and housing costs went up.

Each mid-month, Statistics Finland interviewers collect around 50,000 prices on 497 commodities from approximately 2,700 outlets for the Consumer Price Index. In addition, some 1,000 items of price data are gathered by centralised collection.

Finland's inflation indicators, February 2008

	Point figure	Year-on-year change	Month-on-month change
Consumer Price Index 2005=100	106.7	3.7%	0.5%
Cost-of-living Index 1951:10=100	1 703
Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices 2005=100	105.3	3.3%	0.5%

According to preliminary data, inflation in the EMU countries was 3.2 per cent in February

According to the preliminary data on the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices, the rate of inflation in the EMU countries in February was unchanged from January, i.e. 3.2 per cent. The corresponding figure for Finland was 3.3 per cent in February.

Eurostat's estimate of inflation in the EMU area is based on preliminary data from EMU Member States and on the price development of energy. Eurostat will publish detailed data on Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices for February on 14 March.

A link on the left side navigation bar on the Consumer Price Index home page leads to Eurostat's Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices page.

Source: Consumer Price Index 2008, February. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Mr Juhani Pekkarinen +358 9 1734 3476, Ms Kati Heikkinen +358 9 1734 3472
Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices: Ms Christina Telasuo +358 9 1734 2951
khi.tilastokeskus@stat.fi

Director in charge: Kari Molnar

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Appendix tables

• Cost-of-living Index 1951:10=100 (14.3.2008)

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Last updated 14.3.2008